Veterans' preference

With Veterans' Preference, you may receive preference over non-veteran applicants in the hiring process. Veterans' Preference can be used when applying to permanent and temporary positions in both the competitive and excepted service (of the executive branch).

There are three types of veterans' preferences:

• Disabled (10-point preference eligible)External link. Opens in a new window.
• Non-disabled (5-point preference eligible) External link. Opens in a new window.
• Sole survivorship (0-point preference eligible) External link. Opens in a new window.

How do I know a job is open to veterans?

In the job announcement look for the This job is open to section. When a job is open to veterans you'll see this icon: There may be other groups listed that can also apply.

You can also select the veterans filter in search. Your results will display all jobs open to Veterans.

Documents you may need

Claiming Veterans' Preference

When claiming Veterans' Preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214, certificate of release or discharge from active duty or other acceptable documentation. Applicants claiming 10-point preference will need to submit Form SF-15 or other acceptable documentation.

• DD-214
  Certificate of release or discharge from active duty

  The DD-214 is issued to military members upon separation from active service. It contains information about the veteran's dates of military service and separation. Most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their form DD-214 Report of Separation and other military and medical records through the National Archives Veterans' Records Service.

• SF-15
  Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference

  The SF-15 is used by federal agencies and OPM examining offices to adjudicate individuals' claims for Veterans' Preference.

  Note that a letter from the VA that contains the following may be sufficient instead of a SF-15:

  • Dates of service
  • Discharge status
  • Disability rating

Upload and submit through USAJOBS

You can upload and save documents to your USAJOBS account. Once uploaded, you can submit these forms with your job application as needed. Sign into USAJOBS or learn how to upload documents.

Veteran's Recruitment Appointment and other hiring options

If you're a veteran, you may also be eligible for one of these special hiring authorities:

• Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) External link. Opens in a new window.
• 30% or More Disabled Veteran External link. Opens in a new window.
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 (VEOA) External link. Opens in a new window.
• Disabled veterans enrolled in a VA training program External link. Opens in a new window.